Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to analyse the process of changing engineering universities towards sustainable development (SD). It outlines the types of changes needed, both in respect of approaches, visions, philosophies and cultural change, which are crucial for engineering universities which want to implement sustainable development as part of their progammes. Design/methodology/approach: The paper describes various experiences which show how SD education programmes can be implemented at universities, and some of the challenges faced in efforts towards achieving such a goal. It considers the various processes involved and raises some questions which can help to understand how universities, as learning organisations, can engage in the implementation of SD programmes. Findings: The paper has established that engineers have to learn to think long term and position their activities in a pathway towards long-term sustainable solutions. This requires insight into the social environment of engineering as a technology, and the extent to which engineers should know about the intricacies of SD problems. Originality/value: The paper shows that engineers should understand the complexities of the societal setting in which they are developing solutions, and the complexities of making short-term improvements that fit into a long-term SD.